As is known, regulations require that motor vehicles be equipped with seat belts fitted directly or indirectly to the vehicle body at so-called anchorage points, and for securing the driver to the driver's seat in the event of accidents.
In racing vehicles, the various straps of the seat belt are designed to immobilize the driver's shoulders, pelvis, and, possibly, legs, and are connected to one another at a single point, normally located in front of the torso and at the height of the driver's pelvis, by a common buckle enabling simultaneous locking and release of the individual straps.
More specifically, the buckle comprises a casing housing a releasable lock mechanism and defining five openings in which to insert and lock respective metal end members (tongues) fixed to the ends of the seat belt straps.
The buckle casing is also fitted with a manually operated release lever to rapidly release the lock mechanism from the tongues of all the seat belt straps, and so enable the driver, in an emergency, to free himself easily from the seat belt securing him in the driver's seat.
Current regulations require that the buckle be connected to the various tongues of the seat belt so that the release lever in the rest position faces downwards, i.e. towards the driver's feet.
The release lever of most known buckles is sized and shaped to project from the buckle casing to permit relatively easy operation by the driver.
Because of the movements of the driver when driving the vehicle, however, the release lever, given its position, may come into contact with the driver's legs, thus resulting in discomfort, and may even be inadvertently released by the driver when driving the vehicle, thus resulting in undesired release of the seat belt and exposure of the driver to grave danger in the event of an accident.